To be like Thunder
by Lea Golightly
Summary: "Oh, I wish I'd be like thunder; so boisterous and loud; then leave them all in wonder; of what it's all about; Oh, I wish I'd be like thunder; to stop them, make them stare; releasing all my blunder; leaving nothing but fresh air"
1. Prologue

It was a boisterous midsummer night and the clouds were dark and heavy. The house of old McKinnon Mansion stood there, all alone upon a hill, waiting for the thunderstorm to break through. Everyone seemed to be fast asleep, not caring for the wind which howled around the corners of the building. Well, everyone except for a small eight year old girl. She was sitting on the ledge of her room, starring out into the stormy wildness, her wide eyes filled with amazement.

Marlene had always found it to be a magic of its own, rising clouds and thunder vanishing into nothing but the scent of fading rain. Everything was on its way to a new start.

She closed her eyes, hands crossed over her tiny heart. She could do it to. She would be like thunder. She would show them she was worth it. They would be proud to have her.

They had to.


	2. Chapter 1

The McKinnon's were a folk, deeply situated in the jungle of traditions and safely proven ways of thinking. A pureblood family of the noblest, proudly acting on their favoured traits of mind: intelligence and prudence.

As you may tell, they had the ever so slight tendency to support the mighty house of Ravenclaw.

So it was no surprise that the embarrassment of having their second child and only daughter being sorted into a house so different from their own caused quite the scandal among their relatives.

It was really rather mysterious. Instead of enjoying the calm and quiet, Marlene turned out to embrace the loud and bold. Instead of sticking her nose into books of wisdom, she wasted whole weeks on the Adventures of young heroines.

Now, seven years later, she watched closely as her family said their good-byes. The passing time had left its scares on their faces. The ever so slight twinkle had been vanished from their gaze, their mouths framed by wrinkles of worry and disappointment.

Ever since her first year at Hogwarts, she was regarded as the 'accident' and mostly let alone by herself, giving Marcus, her older brother, the ongoing opportunity to prove himself as the worthy heir to the McKinnon traditions. He had been made prefect in his fifth year and now was honoured to be headboy. What a surprise, really?!

Marlene couldn't endure looking at him chatting lightly with his parents, his badge proudly sticking to his chest. She didn't know what to add to the conversation anyways. After bidding quick good-byes to her parents, she stepped, head held high, through the hidden gate to platform 9 ¾.

Marlene inhaled deeply and closed her eyes as she sensed the usual smell of steam, Floo Powder and chocolate frogs. Yes, she was going to be back soon and it would most certainly be an amazing year.

"Well, if it isn't the naughty little brat, our dearest friend McKinnon calls his sister." a familiar voice whispered into her ear. Marlene jumped and turned around, a wide grin plastered on her face. The Prewett twins were in the same year as her brother, although in Gryffindor, and had befriended her from the first day of school. She often joked that they were the only two people in the whole world, her brother and herself could both spent time with.

"And if it isn't the annoying two headed monster, I used to run from crying." she said smirking, while hugging them closely. It was so good to see them.

"Have you grown? Don't tell me you've grown again Marlene. Didn't your brother teach you to stay small and cute?" Gideon shook his head disapprovingly at Marcus who just appeared on the platform.

"I thought you knew that she doesn't listen to a word I say." her brother said grinning. He placed his luggage neatly on the ground and gave his mates what was supposed to be a quick, 'manly' hug. With his rather small statue, this turned out to be quite difficult. Marlene smirked.

"Anyway" Marcus continued "You're in for a tough Quidditch season this year, Jones is Captain and more than determined to steal Gryffindor's crown." He was Ravenclaw's seeker and not bad at it, if Marlene bothered to be honest.

"You know that strategy doesn't beat anything if you're too scared to stick to it." Fabian said, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Also we've got Henry this year for Captain and that means you will be crying in surrender, if not worse my friend."

"Henry? Henry who?" asked Marlene. She had been so sure that Gideon would get the badge.

"Henry Johnson, 7th year. He couldn't play last season because of family stuff or something. We didn't really knew him because he always sticked to his girlfriend, Emmeline Vance, you know that Hufflepuff-prefect. "Fabian rolled his eyes and Marlene could not disagree with him. She remembered that girl, almost such a pain in the ass as Evans.

"We've met him a few times over the summer and apparently, he's a decent guy and exceptionally good at Quidditch."

"And.. which position does this ominous Henry play?" Marlene asked, while frowning slightly. He wouldn't steal away her position on the team, would he?!

"Well, well, well, are we a bit jealous Miss McKinnon?" Gideon shook his head in mock concern, while throwing an arm around Marlene's shoulder.

"To tell you a secret: Henry plays keeper. And honestly love, no one would ever dream about replacing such a talented, beautiful beater as yourself. Also Black and Potter would skin us alive. Where are they anyway?"

"Oh, I don't know. They probably got an apartment by now. It's not like we've been running early or something." She looked pointedly at her older brother who returned her gaze just as annoyed.

"Do I have to remind you who hadn't packed her trunk this morning?" he asked heatedly.

"Do I have to remember you who couldn't get enough of our parents' praising and patter? We would have been here hours ago, if you could cut that down." She said. Why did he have to be so infuriating? She closed her eyes and sighed deeply in resignation.

"Whatever, I might as well go search for them before the train leaves. They tend to talk for ages and I promised Doe and Benji to sit with them on the train ride."She smiled to herself at the thought of the rather peculiar greeting theatrics of a certain group of troublemakers.

"See you around boys. Brother!"

Marlene grabbed her luggage and rushed through the crowd, leaving Marcus with a scowl and the twins in hysterics, not stopping once until she accidentally crushed into someone, dropping her luggage on his feet.


End file.
